To My Conservative Readers: Have a Safe Trip

To all my conservative readers who will no doubt be leaving the state after our nominal tax increase passes, I wish you all the best. Safe travels.

To help with your transition, here is a chart of the tax burden by state. I hear Alaska is BEAUTIFUL this time of year (and so is their tax rate, lowest in the nation at 6.6%). Oklahoma also looks promising. From what I hear from friends who have lived there, its sort of a hellhole of ignorance, strip-malls, highways and mega-churches, but that is right up your alley (so is their nationwide low tax burden of only 27.8% after adding federal taxes)!

But really, who needs a federal tax that high anyway? I recommend you just leave this whole stinking liberal country for the beautiful shores of Greece (income tax of .6%) or Mexico (income tax of 3%) Two lovely places, and such great infrastructure and social institutions. We all know Mexico's citizens love it there.

So really, I ask my conservative readers to kindly "grow a pair" and leave the state and possibly the country. You have numerous options that are better than your horrible existence (can we even call it EXISTENCE!?) in the tyrannical state of Maryland.

Update: Yeah Michelle, you can leave too.

A Pit of Vipers

AKA, the Examiner Reader Commentary section.

Its really a hateful little party over there. Lets see, poor people who use government services are "parasites". These "parasites" are the reason we have to raise taxes. Lots of talk about "leaving" Maryland. Sounds like a plan. Accusations of "communism", "socialism" and "liberalism" abound. Its amazing how many of the commenters DESPISE the poor, who they for some reason believe are destined to live in luxury under this tax plan, while they, the rich, will be bled completely dry, forced into the streets.

Remember, when someone wants to raise taxes, the only proper response is to call them a communist and claim the sky is falling. For some quality examples, check the comments here.

10:19 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "House passes $1.4 billion in tax increases"

BG said:
It's funny to see holier than thou liberal Dems lecture the rest of us. They tell us we have less right to KEEP OUR MONEY than gov't has to SIEZE IT. "Gov't needs it" they say. Yes- to pander to the ever-growing underclass their policies grew in the first place. And to grow GOV'T ITSELF, which they see as the efficient, just provider of a solution to every known human condition, if only enough $ were available. History will eventually see them for what they are- arrogant "vote farmers" who cultivate power by spreading pseudo-intellectual manure across an expanding wasteland of neighborhoods that their policies have worked since the 1960s to destroy. They care not, however, because being a progressive lets them see themselves as they wish- morally superior, enlightened, selfless benefactors of society. It's all BS though, and here's the proof- If the social result (not power & gov't growth) is the goal, why don't they simply donate themselves, and encourage others to do the sa

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How nice. AAANNNND:

8:01 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "House passes $1.4 billion in tax increases"

Examiner Reader said:
Wow! Methinks Stuart M. Davies is a bit misguided. I, for one, am educated enough to recognize an ad hominem attack when I see one. (for you stu,that means making a personal attack against your detractors because you have no other means to argue your point) These tax hikes are clearly NOT in the best interest of ALL. They ARE in the interest the welfare/nanny state that maryland is becoming. They are in the interest of fat, bloated, inefficient govt bureaucracies, and they are in the interest of the lazy, uneducated, unmotivated, unwilling to work and support themselves government-teet-suckers who comprise more and more of the maryland voting electorate as hard working, self-supporting folks (like myself) make a run for the border. Give me a break - "people oriented"??? You are right about one thing: MD is a Dem state. Losing population, setting murder records, leading in teen preg, syphilis cases... And now record high taxes. All things for a good liberal democrat to be proud of.

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So classy. And of course, it wouldn't be complete without some good liberal feminization:

1:49 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 8, 2007 re: "O�Malley: Most will pay more"

Examiner Reader said:
I love how liberals are now suddenly "progressives". Funny how they choose to change names after they have created such a negative association with the word liberal in the minds of voters. Why not be bold and honest and call yourselves by your true name - socialists. From each according to his ability to each according to his need. Sounding more and more like the rhetoric from the "progressives". I'd choose self-reliance over governmental interference any day of the week. Guess that makes me a knuckle dragging neanderthal. Maybe that explains why I don't appreciate that she-male statue infront of Penn Station. Gosh, if I could only get that surgery to help me be more progressive. What's is called? Oh yeah, it's a lobotomy...

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And one last one for good measure:

12:37 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 8, 2007 re: "O�Malley: Most will pay more"

25 M Who works hard! said:
600k Home? I wish. SUV? Hell no! Don't be such an IDIOT! If i made that much i wouldn't be making this. I'm married and her and I work. We save our money for only what is needed. She has a '92 saturn that needs to be replaced. I have a old used car im still trying to pay off. I work hard for my money. I condsider my self Middleclass/Upper Lower class. You are the type of person who is saying i need to be payed more to sit on my but, you give reasons for the poor to stay poor and not work to become something. Why should they try to improve themselves when we have IDIOTS like you willing to take from the ppl that have worked hard to make the money they have and give it to someone who knows if they are paid to be useless. All i know is that I'm not going to Hell like most of the Democrats.

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Your tax package opponents, in their own words.

Hateful Conservative Alert: Streiff and "Whiny Little Girls"

You can always tell when a movement conservative is upset. Their favorite tactic when cut to the quick is to question the manhood and "toughness" of their opponent. Hence, we see Strieff at Red Maryland referring to our Comptroller as a "whiny little girl" for his opposition to slot machine gambling.

In the conservative mind, the non-conservative, particularly the vocal one, is not only wrong, but effeminate. Of course, it is assumed that someone who "whines like a little girl" has no place in politics. Indeed, the desire of conservatives to "feminize" their opponents is widespread, see Anne Coulter's comments on John Edwards, the constant chorus of "cut and run" we heard months ago, and now our current example. One needs look no further than John McCain and Mitt Romney to see the GOP inverse of strong man worship. John McCain will follow Osama to hell. Romney will bomb Iran into dust.

To be fair, in the past Red Maryland has written kindly of the Comptroller, though only because in him they see a chance for a primary challenge to O'Malley from the left, possibly creating a chance for a Republican to creep back into the Governor's Mansion. When Franchot turns his guns on a pet Republican proposal, all bets are off and the rush to call a state official a "whiny little girl."

I have certainly written my share of angry posts (cursing and all), but I cannot recall a time when I felt it necessary to denigrate a political opponent in such a grade-school manner. Even when I claimed that folks at "Red Maryland had their heads up their asses", I didn't stoop so low. I can assume that folks at Red Maryland do have heads and do have asses. A rather common phrase meant to imply that someone is wrong. Streiff is doing more than implying the Comptroller is wrong, he is implying he is weak, childish, and not up to do the important mens' work of politics. Its a more loaded term, and conservatives use it knowingly and effectively.

Rather than examine the worth of the Comptroller's words, they dismiss them through petty insult.

In Strieff's post we see a common feature of the American Conservative, the desire to feminize any and all opponents, particularly those who speak the loudest in opposition to their party's goals. At best, it is desperately comical. At worst, it is offensive and derogatory.

lol

Everyone looking for some good TV, check out CSPAN right now. There is a "huge rally" where some guy just called those who want to withdrawal from Iraq "communists". This is the national rally for "Move America Forward". There are less than 500 people at this "national rally".

Hilarious.

Oh Dear

How does the person who wrote this not delete it immediately out of embarrassment? Just when I thought it couldn't get any weirder, he takes Godwin's law to new level of ridiculousness.

Like the Nazis of 1930s Germany a small but vocal group of gays intimidate large law firms with bully tactics. Ex-gays describe the gay movement as a cult, that recruits, and then punishes anyone who tries to escape or resist them.

John Garza, the Rockville attorney for CRC, Family Leader Network and PFOX stated that he “knows who wins in the end,” that bully tactics, hate, intolerance of religious people, and spreading lies will keep the large law firm from future success. “Like Hitler and his thugs, the gay agenda will have its day and then, good will triumph over evil” Garza said.

Your modern Republican Party in action.

Dan Gainor: Asshole

Like so.

On workers who pick up trash at Maryland Stadiums (which only exist due to massive state subsidies) wanting the ability to actually LIVE on their earnings.

The United Workers might mean well, but it labors under the misconception that government should make unskilled labor something it’s not — high-priced employment.

$9.25 hr is not high priced labor. Its extremely low priced labor. High priced labor would be $40 million a year spread over 6 people who cannot even do their job, IE the Orioles bullpen.

High priced labor is Peter Angelos raking in millions every year while still failing to field a competitive team.

Andrey Bundley made a great point about investment in the City during the radio debate yesterday. He said that the city should only subsidize investment in companies which promise to bring quality paying jobs for Baltimore City citizens. Otherwise, why should we help you set up in our city? Of course, the Stadiums bring in millions in revenue to the City every year, so that is not the issue.

The stadiums in Baltimore are massive money makers both for their owners and for the City. Why shouldn't they be at least paying their workers enough to live?

Gainor, in his fervor to put down working people assumes the exact opposite of what will happen if these wages are raised.

One ad showed a restaurant looking for a dishwasher and paying $8 an hour. Another firm was looking for a fiscal accounts clerk and paying just $12.55 an hour. While that’s more than the stadium, the clerking job required two years’ experience. Even the Maryland Zoo was paying just $7.25 to $8 an hour for part-timers.

All of those companies and organizations would have to compete under a new pay scale if United Workers wins. Too bad, according to Rosenthal.

“That’s an issue the state would have to figure out,” he said.

Those companies would have to compete against ridiculously high wage scales for totally unskilled work. Many might go out of business or fire low-wage earners, creating more homeless people and, possibly, more day laborers.

First, those companies would in no way be affected by raising the salaries of a particular group of workers at Camden Yards. An apparently every restaurant, zoo, and "firm" would go out of business in Maryland if 11 people get a $3 raise.

I also don't see how "day laborers" are now lower on Gainor's "'EWWWW POOR PEOPLE' scale" than homeless people. Either way, last time I checked, paying people a fair wage leads to lower poverty, decreased homelessness, decreased crime, decreased stress, improved family units, etc.

There really is nothing scarier to a conservative that someone who is not already rich making more money.

Red Maryland Baltimore Bashing

Here's the formula.

I know that X happened in P.
Therefore X is a regular occurence in P.

X = home invasion and rape
P = Baltimore City

Despite the fact the rape rates are significantly higher in the counties than in the City, this is sufficient proof that Baltimore is THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY EVER OMGZZZ.

Thing is, I know that Red Marylanders have access to statistics that could make their point in a much more reasoned, less fallacious manner. That just isn't their style.

Glen Greenwald Gets it Right as Usual

Check it:

It is easy sometimes to lose sight of how extreme a period this is in America's history, how profoundly our national character has been degraded and how fundamentally our country's core has changed over the last six years.

I just have to pull some more:

To the extent that the "conservative base" has split with the President at all on the question of "expanding governmental authority and power," it has been on the ground that they think he has not expanded such power and authority enough. They crave more.

The "conservative base" in the last GOP presidential debate reserved their cheers for Mitt Romeny's moronic call to "double Guantanamo," and for Tom Tancredo's yearning for Jack Bauer. The more enthusiastically a candidate defended torture and lawless detentions, the louder the cheers were. The "conservative base" favors torture, and arbitrary detention powers, and oversight-less surveillance -- even beyond what the Bush administration has embraced.

Oh man, and finally (emphasis mine):

The reason that it is news that the U.S. tortures, but not news that Al Qaeda does, is because Al Qaeda is a barbaric and savage terrorist group which operates with no limits, whereas the U.S. is supposed to be something different than that. Isn't it amazing that one even needs to point that out?

No one pans modern conservatism as well as Glen Greenwald.